Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: How Do They Compare?

Decades ago, when you thought of an electric vehicle, you pictured something comically small and ridiculously inefficient with only enough room for two people. Today, the options available to EV shoppers are as varied and unique as the gas-powered models are. From compacts to sedans to sports cars to crossovers and everything in between, the EV market really has it all. Just look at the Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6.

They’re two compact SUV crossovers that prove electric doesn’t have to sacrifice style and function. But how do the two compare to one another? From their starting prices to their range per charge, there’s a lot to take into consideration when comparing two similarly structured EVs.

You have MPGe to think about, not to mention horsepower and fast charge times. Plus, there are internal specs to think about. Not to mention storage space and even paint color. Let’s take a look at the Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6, comparing everything there is to compare in an attempt to determine which compact SUV crossover EV is truly the best of the bunch.

Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: Side-By-Side Comparison

Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: What’s the Difference?

Despite their similar builds — both serving as two of the EV market’s best compact SUV crossovers — the Mustang Mach-E and the Kia EV6 actually have a lot of differences between them.

Their MSRPs, their MPG equivalents, their total horsepower, their range per charge, their fast charge time… there’s almost more that sets them apart than unites them, to be honest. Let’s break everything down below, paying close attention to the EV that wins out for each key difference.

Price

The 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E and the 2022 Kia EV6 are both on the more reasonable end of the EV pricing spectrum, but neither is necessarily cheap. Especially in comparison to some of the more affordable gas-powered (and even hybrid-powered) vehicles on the market.

With that being said, the Kia EV6 is the more affordable option of the two. Its MSRP comes in at just $40,900 for the base model EV6. Compare this to the MSRP of the base model Ford Mustang Mach-E, which is $44,995. That’s a savings of almost $5,000 between them.

MPGe

After price, the second most important consideration for an EV is the kind of MPGe you can expect. Created to serve as an equivalent to a gas-powered vehicle’s miles per gallon, an EV’s MPGe speaks volumes about its energy efficiency.

The Kia EV6 is once again the better option compared to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, offering 136 MPGe in the city and 100 MPGe on the highway for a combined MPGe of 117. The Ford Mustang Mach-E falls short of this tremendously, only offering 105 MPGe city and 93 MPGe highway for a combined 100 MPGe.

Horsepower

You wouldn’t be wrong for wondering why horsepower matters if you aren’t planning on hauling anything or doing any serious, heavy-duty tasks with your EV. However, horsepower is about so much more than this.

It speaks directly to the kind of performance you can expect from your vehicle. As such, it makes a huge difference that the Ford Mustang Mach-E has the far superior horsepower to the Kia EV6.

That’s 266 HP for the Mustang Mach-E and only 168 HP for the Kia EV6. Sure, that horsepower will increase with more expensive trims, but for the base models, it’s actually quite poor for the EV6.

Range

Just as important as these other key differences is range. How far is your EV actually going to be able to take you on a single charge? It’s one of the most significant specs about an EV, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6 once again have drastically different results here.

The Mustang Mach-E offers 247 miles per charge for the base model. The Kia EV6, on the other hand, can only provide 232 miles per charge for the base model. The Mustang Mach-E’s 247 miles per charge is already on the lower end of the industry, so this 232-mile range is particularly bad news for the Kia EV6.

Fast Charge Time

If your EV’s range per charge is going to be on the lower end of the industry’s standards, the least the manufacturer could offer is a decent fast charge time. For the 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, the charge time is around 40 minutes to take the EV battery from 10% to 80% charged.

For the 2022 Kia EV6, the battery can go from 20% to 80% in just under 20 minutes. That’s around twice as fast as the Mustang Mach-E. (Not to mention significantly faster than much of the competition, as well.) The Kia EV6 might fall short in other areas, but this fast charge time is something it can be proud of.

The History of the Ford Mustang Mach-E

Unlike many rival EVs — even the ones outside of the Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6 debate — the Ford Mustang has the benefit of carrying a very recognizable and equally iconic brand name. The Mustang name and its horse emblem date back all the way to 1964, long before electric vehicles were ever considered as commercially viable as they are today.

Some complain that the Ford Mustang name doesn’t suit this Mustang Mach-E because of its compact SUV crossover design. But, considering the fabled history of the brand name, it actually makes a lot of sense from a marketing standpoint.

Attaching this Ford Mustang branding to the Mach-E is a testament to the feel, speed, handling, and overall power of this flagship battery-electric vehicle. It’s bigger than your average Mustang, undoubtedly, but, behind the wheel, you might as well be driving a classic gas-powered model.

This brand recognition shows in the car’s sales figures: 27,140 units sold in the United States in 2021, and another 23,054 units sold in the United Kingdom. That’s more than 50,000 in just these two countries alone — an impressive feat for the still-burgeoning field of commercial EVs.

First announced in the fall of 2019, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E was officially put into production in December of the following year. This first-gen Mustang Mach-E came in five possible trims (including the rare, limited-edition First Edition trim based on the GT trim).

The other four included the base trim Select, the mid-level California Route 1 Edition, the well-equipped Premium, and the performance-based GT. Mustang Mach-E drivers can also upgrade to a special GT Performance Package to boost their EV’s performance specs. There are also a pair of battery sizes and a trio of power outputs.

How the Kia EV6 Competes

As the Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6 debate might suggest, the Mustang Mach-E is hardly the only compact SUV crossover on the EV market. The Kia EV6 is a pretty evenly matched contender, first entered into production in 2021 and continuing to hold a decent portion of the market ever since.

The very first dedicated EV from the Kia brand name, the EV6 strongly resembles the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in both look and feel. As a matter of fact, both the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 were developed on the same Electric Global Modular Platform (I.e. E-GMP). 

While its name would have you convinced that the EV6 was the sixth electric vehicle to come out of the Kia Corporation, the truth is that it’s merely the first in a planned series of eleven EVs. Eventually, Kia plans to have an EV1, EV2, EV3, and so on… all the way to EV9 and beyond. 

Kia initially developed the EV line under the “CV” moniker but changed it to “EV” before officially debuting the EV6 in August of 2021. The EV6 GT was released the following year in October of 2022, serving as the high-performance version of the base model EV6.

The EV6 base model includes a beautiful curved panoramic display panel. This panel can also open up, revealing more storage space behind the display. The EV6’s display can also be switched back and forth between HVAC and infotainment options.

The seats and steering wheel are both heated, offering a level of luxury previously unmatched by other compact SUV crossovers. There’s also an AR heads-up display and a whole suite of safety features included, as well. All in all, a truly great rival for the Mustang Mach-E.

Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: Pros and Cons

Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: 5 Must-Know Facts

1. The Ford Mustang Mach-E had the privilege of being named Car and Driver‘s very first “EV of the Year” for 2021.
2. The Kia EV6 was named “European Car of the Year” for 2022. First established way back in 1964, this is a prestigious international award determined by a network of top car magazines from around the continent.
3. In addition to Car and Driver’s EV of the Year, 2021 also saw the Ford Mustang Mach-E winning the award for North American SUV of the Year. Similarly to the European Car of the Year award, this honor is bestowed upon the winning car by a coalition of the nation’s top automobile publications.
4. Both the Mustang Mach-E and the EV6 are considered compact SUV crossovers. This means they feature a greater ride height on top of a compact car’s chassis. While less functional in off-road or extreme scenarios than a traditional SUV, these crossovers offer more interior space than a compact with better fuel economy and handling than an SUV.
5. The 1979 AMC Eagle is widely considered to be the first crossover ever, but the 1994 Toyota RAV4 was the first to officially coin the term “crossover.” The Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Kia EV6 have again revolutionized crossovers by producing an EV take.

Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6: Which Is Better?

So, now that we’ve gone over all there is to know about the Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Kia EV6, is it clear which EV crossover SUV is the best? It depends on what you’re looking at. Neither car is necessarily bad, by any means. Both have far more positives than negatives, and neither one is an eyesore to boot.

But which one of the two is better? Taking everything we’ve discussed into consideration, it only seems fair to name the Ford Mustang Mach-E as the winner. Here’s what led to this decision.

While the Kia EV6 is cheaper, offers superior MPGe, and has a remarkably fast charging time, the Ford Mustang Mach-E triumphs over the Kia EV6 where it matters most. Namely, horsepower, torque, and miles per charge. The Mustang Mach-E far exceeds the specs of the Kia EV6 in each of these areas.

While the Kia EV6 is still a reliable, functional, award-winning EV, the Ford Mustang Mach-E simply comes out ahead. What good is that MPGe or lower price or charge time if you don’t have the range or the performance to back it up? In the end, the Mustang Mach-E wins this round.